Birmingham Civil Rights District Named National Monument
Birmingham city leaders announced Thursday evening that the Birmingham Civil Rights District, once a hub of violence and aggression toward African-Americans, is now a national monument. President Obama named it one of three new monuments Thursday, as part of his administration’s commitment to protecting culturally and historically significant places, according to the White House.
Mayor William Bell, joined by civil rights leaders, spoke Thursday at the 16th Street Baptist Church. The church was the site of a bombing in 1963 and will be part of the new monument. The monument will also highlight the significance of other nearby sites, such as Kelly Ingram Park, where Bull Connor, then Birmingham’s public safety commissioner, turned hoses and dogs on civil rights protesters.
The designation also will protect the historic A.G. Gaston Motel, which has fallen into disrepair after remaining vacant for more than two decades.
Earlier Thursday as he awaited final word from the White House, Bell said the designation would be especially meaningful to him. “Having grown up and lived all my life in this city, having been born into a segregated society and to see the changes that were made that would allow me to become the mayor of this great city, it would be beyond comprehension,” he said. “And for me to be the mayor at this particular time is almost overwhelming.”
Obama said in a statement Thursday the new national monuments preserve chapters of history. “They tell the important stories of the citizens who helped launch the civil rights movement in Birmingham and the Freedom Riders whose bravery raised national awareness of segregation and violence. These stories are part of our shared history,” Obama said.
The White House named two other monuments Thursday: Freedom Riders National Monument in Anniston and the Reconstruction Era National Monument in coastal South Carolina.
How Alabama Power kept bills up and opposition out to become one of the most powerful utilities in the country
In one of the poorest states in America, the local utility earns massive profits producing dirty energy with almost no pushback from state regulators.
No more Elmo? APT could cut ties with PBS
The board that oversees Alabama Public Television is considering disaffiliating from PBS, ending a 55-year relationship.
Nonprofit erases millions in medical debt across Gulf South, says it’s ‘Band-Aid’ for real issue
Undue Medical Debt has paid off more than $299 million in medical debts in Alabama. Now, the nonprofit warns that the issue could soon get worse.
Roy Wood Jr. on his father, his son and his new book
Actor, comedian and writer Roy Wood Jr. is out with a new book -- "The Man of Many Fathers: Life Lessons Disguised as a Memoir." He writes about his experience growing up in Birmingham, losing his dad as a teenager and all the lessons he learned from various father figures throughout his career.
Auburn fires coach Hugh Freeze following 12th loss in his last 15 SEC games
The 56-year-old Freeze failed to fix Auburn’s offensive issues in three years on the Plains, scoring 24 or fewer points in 17 of his 22 league games. He also ended up on the wrong end of too many close matchups, including twice this season thanks partly to questionable calls.
In a ‘disheartening’ era, the nation’s former top mining regulator speaks out
Joe Pizarchik, who led the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement from 2009 to 2017, says Alabama’s move in the wake of a fatal 2024 home explosion increases risks to residents living atop “gassy” coal mines.
